Occupational health and safety training FAQs

A fundamental principal of health and safety law is that those who create risks are responsible for managing those risks in a proportionate and sensible way. Legal responsibility rests on employers, but employees are also required to look after the health, safety and welfare of themselves and others.

Occupational health and safety is important because risks which could cause death or injury should be properly controlled. It is also important for businesses. A company's greatest asset is its people and failure to control risks can lead to high costs through sick leave, insurance costs and lost productivity.

The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 requires all employers to provide information, instruction, training and supervision to ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety at work of their employees. This will include induction training for all employees, specific training in subjects such as DSE, COSHH, fire safety and manual handling; and higher level management training for the health and safety team.

Directors will also benefit from health and safety leadership training.

The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 expand on this by setting out a number of specific situations where training must be provided. These include when employees first start work and when employees are exposed to new or increased risks. Under these regulations, workers (including contractors and self-employed associates) must be given adequate information and instruction by the host or main employer about the risks.

Employers need to know who is legally responsible for health and safety at work. They are required to appoint a ‘competent person’ to help them meet their health and safety duties. This person must have the necessary skills, experience and knowledge to manage health and safety. If the employer is not confident of their ability to manage the health and safety risks, external help or advice may be required.

British Safety Council offer advice, training and audit services to help businesses effectively manage their risk.

If you're looking to discover how much a health and safety course will cost, the table below explains the prices for each qualification, including NEBOSH courses and international diplomas and certificates. Every occupational health and safety training course is assessed differently, but most include at least one open book exam and a work-based assessment.

NEBOSH National General Certificate is the starting point for people seeking a career in health and safety management. More than 90% of health and safety job adverts specify a NEBOSH qualification.

NEBOSH National Certificate in Construction Health and Safety and the NEBOSH National Certificate in Fire Safety and Risk Management focus on construction and fire safety.

NEBOSH National Diploma is essential for those seeking a senior position in health and safety management and is the route to graduate membership of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (Grad IOSH) and from there to chartered membership (CMIOSH).

NEBOSH National General Certificate is a Level 3 qualification, equivalent to an A Level qualification.

NEBOSH National Diploma is a Level 6 qualification, equivalent to a full honours degree in the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF).

NEBOSH International General Certificate is designed for people working outside the UK, or in multinationals. It focuses on international standards, such as the codes of practice provided by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), as well as real-world applications that delegates can apply to their workplace.

The NEBOSH International General Certificate is a formal qualification recognising a candidate's health and safety skills worldwide. It provides managers, supervisors and employees with the skills and knowledge to fulfil their health and safety responsibilities in any country and in any kind of organisation. It also allows candidates to progress on to the NEBOSH International Diploma. You can learn more on the NEBOSH website.

The two qualifications are positioned at different levels on the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF). The NEBOSH General Certificate is a level three qualification in the QCF (equivalent to an A Level) and the NEBOSH Diploma is a level six (equivalent to a degree). The Diploma provides a more in-depth insight into occupational health and safety than the Certificate. It goes into more detail about the subjects of culture change and both civil and criminal law.

To complete the NEBOSH General Certificate you do not need any previous health and safety knowledge. However, if you wish to study the NEBOSH Diploma, previous experience in health and safety is strongly advised and applications from those without sufficient experience can be refused.

The NEBOSH Diploma is a degree level qualification and therefore requires learners to study at a high standard over a long period. Previous experience of health and safety is strongly advised, and those applying without a sufficient background in the field may be refused.

The time it takes to get a NEBOSH Diploma depends on the dates set by the course provider, but learners on the face-to-face course can usually expect to gain their Diploma within six to nine months. The Diploma requires candidates to attend seven weeks of classroom teaching in total.

The NEBOSH International General Certificate qualification has been developed for people across the world involved in health and safety at work. In a situation where multiple employees are looking to gain this qualification, it can be studied face-to-face either in a classroom in London or at an organisation worldwide.

British Safety Council also offers an e-learning option to study health and safety in the workplace qualifications. However, it should be noted that this is not a form of distance learning; instead, the studying takes place online, wherever and whenever it suits the learner.

Candidates studying for NEBOSH qualifications, including the Certificate, Diploma and International Certificate, will receive their certificates 10-12 weeks after the results have been given to you. 

Candidates studying for British Safety Council qualifications, including the International Certificate and Diploma, will receive their certificates 2-5 working days after all exams and work-based assignments have been marked.